[BkyMonster]

Am thinking of having my larger dog groomed and wondering if anyone has had experience with that sort of thing in ChCh.
It isn't a fancy cut or anything, we just like him (with his mixed breed medium constantly shedding hair) to have a shave every so often. Keeps the shedding down, keeps him cooler, that sort of thing.
Was thinking of using a groomer as when we have shaved him in the past it looks kind of like a dog exploded.
Are there any self service groomers or anything where we could do it ourselves (and they keep the hair? :exit)?
We could probably buy some clippers for about the cost of 2 grooming sessions (been quoted about $55 for grooming his size with a bath included) but not sure if we want to deal with the mess.
Any suggestions on groomers or ideas?

[Jo Jo]

I've got a year old cocker spaniel who I groom myself. The first time he needed grooming, I took him to a groomer, but after shelling out $50 decided I really had to learn to do it myself. I only pay $60 for my own haircuts, so there was no way I was going to carry on paying $50 a pop for his. (Incidentally, my hairdresser is incensed that dog grooming costs so much :laugh)

The first time I clipped Charlie I couldn't BELIEVE the amount of hair! The pile of hair when I swept up was about three times the size of my dog! And we kept finding it everywhere for weeks afterwards, even though I'd hoovered it up (or thought I had...) So, I'm with you on the mess.

Now, I clip him while he's still slightly damp from his bath, as the hair doesn't seem to fly about everywhere that way, and is much easier to clear up as it clumps together. I also wear really old clothes, and hoover them down before I put them in the wash. I've found if I clip him quite regularly then the amount of hair to clear up is much more manageable. And, in this good weather, I am planning to plug the clippers into an extension lead and groom him outside.

I use Wahl clippers, and they work very well on his hair.

It is a messy business, but I fortify myself by thinking of all the money I'm saving...

Oh, and top tip - I bathe my dog before grooming using the shower attachment over my bath, and, um, I strip down to my underwear when I'm bathing him (otherwise my clothes get soaked through and the hair sticks to them like glue). :o

[BkyMonster]

Hehe, yeah I just throw the dogs in the bath with me and finish up myself after I'm done with them. TMI probably! :D
I think we'll just deal with the exploding dog hair issue (his hair is only 10 cm or so long at most, but he has a very fluffy undercoat as well) and buy some clippers.

[veronica]

glad I've got short haired dogs!!

[Ana&Steve]

I can offer some tips if you decide to do it yourself....I was a groomer for 15 years:nice1
Let's see, first to keep your blades sharp and in good working order, only clip/scissor when the dog is dry. We would do a "rough in" haircut, bathe, then final clip. This results in a much smoother look and you can get the pet cleaner w/o the extra hair in the way.
Next, NEVER bathe if you can't get a comb through all the hair on your pet. If you bathe with knots, matts, or undercoat on, the hair will shrink up and cause a worse problem and more pain for you and the pet.
If you can, elevate your pet when brushing/clipping. This will prevent a lot of fatigue to your body. One suggestion we had for customers was to put a no skid mat (like a rubber bathtub mat) on the washer/dryer and an eye hook in the wall to attach the pet to with a modified/shortened leash. (never leave them unattended while hooked up!)
A good thing to do is to understand your equipment. For example. clipper blades can jam if fine or wet hair slides between the sections of the blades. A toothbrush will sometimes get it out or you can slide the sections apart and brush them if you know how to get them back together. Oil the blades with 3in1 oil or a spray lube and don't let them get too hot. It brittles the blades and can burn your pet. If it's too hot to rest on the top of your forearm, it's too hot to touch you pet.
Um, I guess my last suggestion (for now) would be to work on your relationship w/your pet during this process. They need patience from you to get used to the unusual, but don't take any crap from them either. There's a difference between being scared and displaying bad behavior.
I hope that helps and isn't too presumptive of me:D

[Jo Jo]

Super tips - thanks. :nice1